Shows like Roots (1977)
Loved Roots? Here are 24 shows with a similar feel, picked from what fans of Roots watch next and from titles with the same mix of drama. Roots was created by Alex Haley.
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1
Peaky Blinders (2013)
A gangster family epic set in 1919 Birmingham, England and centered on a gang who sew razor blades in the peaks of their caps, and their fierce boss Tommy Shelby, who means to move up in the world.
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2
Downton Abbey (2010)
A chronicle of the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the post-Edwardian era—with great events in history having an effect on their lives and on the British social hierarchy.
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3
The Bible (2013)
The story of God's creation of the Earth and the landmark events leading up to the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
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4
Shōgun (1980)
An English navigator becomes both a player and pawn in complex political games in feudal Japan.
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5
Parenthood (2010)
The trials and tribulations of the very large, colorful and imperfect Braverman family.
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6
Brothers and Sisters (2006)
The close-knit Walker family deals with struggles and triumphs.
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7
Chesapeake Shores (2016)
A divorced mom deals with an old romance and complicated family issues when she returns to her hometown with her twin daughters.
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8
The Thorn Birds (1983)
Follows the Cleary family over several decades, focusing on the central, tragic romance between Meggie and Father Ralph, who is torn between his vows and his love for her.
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9
Tyler Perry's The Oval (2019)
A seemingly perfect interracial first family becomes the White House's newest residents. But behind closed doors they unleash a torrent of lies, cheating and corruption.
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10
Liaison (2023)
Two agents—and former lovers—must work together to combat international cyberattacks threatening the UK while also confronting the buried secrets of their destructive relationship.
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11
Life Unexpected (2010)
16-year-old Lux was given up for adoption at birth but never adopted. When she is put back into the custody of her estranged-since-high-school birth parents, Cate and Baze, the three form an unlikely family.
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12
Fosse/Verdon (2019)
The story of the romantic and creative partnership between Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon. He was a filmmaker and one of theater's most influential choreographers and directors; she was the greatest Broadway dancer of all time. Together, they…
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13
Bleak House (2005)
The generous John Jarndyce, struggling with his own past, and his two young wards Richard and Ada, are all caught up, like Lady Dedlock, in the infamous case of Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce, which will make one of them rich beyond imagination if…
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14
The 7.39 (2014)
Partnered commuters Sally and Carl meet on a train and begin a secret affair, exploring themes of love, infidelity, and modern relationships against the backdrop of a mundane commute.
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15
Fleming (2014)
Set at the outbreak of WWII – mischievous playboy Ian Fleming is untroubled by the specter of impending war – chasing women, collecting rare books and living off his family fortune. Forever in the shadow of his brother Peter, and an eternal…
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16
The Witness (2026)
With their 2-year-old as the sole witness to her murder, Rachel Nickell's partner fights to protect him amid a flawed investigation.
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17
When We Rise (2017)
The personal and political struggles, setbacks and triumphs of a diverse family of LGBT men and women who helped pioneer one of the last legs of the U.S. Civil Rights movement from its turbulent infancy in the 20th century to the once…
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18
Doctor Thorne (2016)
The story of the penniless Mary Thorne, who grows up with her rich aunt/cousins at Greshamsbury Park estate.
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19
Roots: The Next Generations (1979)
Roots: The Next Generations is a television miniseries, introduced in 1979, continuing, from 1882 to the 1960s, the fictionalized story of the family of Alex Haley and their life in Henning, Lauderdale County, Tennessee, USA. This sequel to…
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20
Scarlett (1994)
Following the death of her sister-in-law Melanie Wilkes, Scarlett O'Hara sets out to reclaim her doomed romance with Rhett Butler, as it takes her home to Tara to Charleston to Savannah to Ireland, where she learns of her family's roots.
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21
Upstairs, Downstairs (1971)
Upstairs: the wealthy, aristocratic Bellamys. Downstairs: their loyal and lively servants. For nearly 30 years, they share a fashionable townhouse at 165 Eaton Place in London’s posh Belgravia neighborhood, surviving social change,…
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22
Flowers in the Attic: The Origin (2022)
After a whirlwind romance, Olivia finds herself as the mistress of the imposing Foxworth Hall, where she soon discovers that the fairy tale life she expected has quickly become a nightmare.
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23
The Assets (2014)
1985 serves as the backdrop to the final showdown of the Cold War when Sandy and her partner Jeanne Vertefeuille vowed to find the mole that would turn out to be the most notorious traitor in US history, Aldrich Ames. Sandy is in a race…
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24
The Blue and the Gray (1982)
The Blue and the Gray is a television miniseries that first aired on CBS in three installments on November 14, November 16, and November 17, 1982. Set during the American Civil War, the series starred John Hammond, Stacy Keach, Lloyd…